Critical Thinking Co.

[Marsha]

I have never used any of their products and need recommendations .

Grades K-4

 

Marsha

[Rhesa]

I have used with my 1st and Ker-

 

Dr. DooRiddles-a huge hit! Here is an example:

 

I will chase a mouse,

And I start with C;

I will chase a bird,

And I end with T.

What am I?

 

Mind Benders Warmup- less of a hit, although I don't hear any groans when I pull it out. Here is an example:

 

Mrs. Shore is Mary Jane's mother. Mrs Desmond is Mrs. Shore's mother. How is Mrs. Desmond related to Mary Jane?

 

Both of these books are marked for K-2nd.

 

HTH!

[Lori D.]

Many of their books are "one-trick pony" books -- all the same type of puzzle solving. And you don't get as many puzzles for the price as you do with other books we've used. That said, the books we've used that have been most enjoyed here from Critical Thinking Press are:

 

Dr. Funster Think-A-Minutes (variety of puzzle types) -- gr. 4-6

Think-a=Grams (all visual puzzles) -- gr. 7+

 

 

Other critical thinking books we enjoyed a lot for grades K-4 include:

- Critical Thinking Activities in Pattern, Image, Logic (gr. 1-3)

- Logic Safari (book 1 = gr. 2-3; book 2 = gr. 3-4)

- Lollipop Logic (gr. K-2)

- Primarily Logic (gr. 2-4)

- Connections series (by grade level)

- Gifted and Talented series (K-4 gr.) (by Amerikander, or others)

- Puzzlemania series -- best of Highlights magazines; variety of puzzles (gr. K-5)

- Hidden Picture Puzzles -- Highlights magazine collection (gr. K-5)

 

 

Best of luck finding what works best for your family! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Kathy in MD]

nt

[Heather in OK]

If you buy Grid Perplexors (by MindWare) you get more logic puzzles for the money.

 

I did buy the Critical Thinking books, Levels 1 and 2. My girls are really enjoying them!!

 

I also bought the Mind Benders Warm Up. It's ok. My oldest (4th) likes it but they are really easy for her. They are a little harder for my second dd (2nd) but she can do the Grid Perplexors with ease. I think she needs the actual grid in front of her to see and mark to figure them out because she's not an auditory learner.

[LibrarianMom]

We are using a variety of things with dd (K). Dr. DooRiddles (preK-2) is great because the riddles are short and great to grab for those fill in the gap times. Can You Find Me? (2 books; PreK and K) has been a winner as well. We're using Mind Bender Beginning (PreK-2) which my daughter absolutely loves. She asks can we do some mind thinkers?

 

We tried Mind Bender Warm-ups (K-2), and they were a little more difficult so we're shelving those for a bit. I think Warm-up is designed for after completing Beginning and before moving to A1/A2. We have Hands-on Thinking Skills (K-1) which uses attribute blocks, pattern blocks, and interlocking cubes. DD was less than enthused about this one, but we pull it out every once in a awhile to work with. I think she felt it was too easy, but it does build in complexity.

 

These items are pricy, but they are reproducible if you have multiple children. I've also found several second hand. I'm excited about getting some of their resources for older children as computer games.